


Love dosen't have to be.

by A_servant_of_Krishna



Category: Rockman X | Mega Man X, Rockman | Mega Man - All Media Types
Genre: Canada, Kosei - Freeform, M/M, Plenty of romance, Running away from war, Sequel To, War, X won't fight, Zero and X won't be fighting this one guys, Zero's not as emotionaly stunted as usual for him, a gift fic, but not the focus, by Kosei, he stuck in a tablet, it was meant to be an epilogue, it's amazing., it's not logical, please post the second chapter, that's for you Kosei, there's another couple
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2020-12-30
Updated: 2021-02-22
Packaged: 2021-03-10 19:29:09
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 4
Words: 19,312
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/28432458
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/A_servant_of_Krishna/pseuds/A_servant_of_Krishna
Summary: For Kosei.A continuation of 'It's not Logical.' written when I thought the second chapter was still up.The war has started, and Sigma has sent Zero away to protect X and the technological marvel that his broken frame hold.
Relationships: X/Zero (Rockman)
Comments: 7
Kudos: 13





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

  * For [Kosei](https://archiveofourown.org/users/Kosei/gifts).



> I had this idea ever since I have read the now deleted second chapter of Kosei's amazing fanfic, 'it's not logical.' and seen the 8-bit guy fix a VIC-20 that had been left outside for over twenty years.
> 
> I wrote this with Kosei's full knowledge and approval, my friend, I hope you will like what I came up with, and yes, it's a multi-chapter fic. Furthermore, I hope I wrote X and Zero's interaction in a way that is both pleasing and somewhat in character. I have decided to split chapter one in two because...it just felt better.
> 
> It's not Logical belong to Kosei...
> 
> Also... it's my least K.C story to date.

On a lonely road, sun-backed, cracked and unused due to the war against maverickism, a lonely rider drove into the darkness of night.

He was driving away from Abel city on the counsel of friends, and out the country, on the order of Sigma.

The reason?

War had started...

But this time, it was reploids against humans...

No, not maverick...sane reploids headed by Sigma.

Something about how those humans in power had broken a few laws of ethics while dealing with the reploid population. Something about having control of how long they should live...and making the label 'maverick.' too easy to slap on innocents.

The great general had already planned this for years apparently, waiting until the use of violence was absolutely necessary to free his kind from slavery since...

that's what it was...

Many would fall, and casualties would happen, but Sigma had let as much innocent escape before the D-Day would happen, the reploids and the humans who loved them were already refugees in other cities around the globes while the leader of the hunter's finally made the lowly hogs learn of their place...and while, as much as he would've love to go another path, Sigma had no choice but to not only show his teeth but his bite also.

Some reploids were...used in such a way that not even a sane human would accept. Let alone wish on their worst enemy. And in many other countries, Reploids were considered equal to humans in both rights and spirit. It was only Japan, China, Russia and America that they were still considered on the level machines to be owned...Legally, at least.

Sigma knew those who were willing to fight for the reploid cause, for real freedom and equality without any string or condition attached and Justice for all. And for this...

Qui veut la paix prepare la guerre. As he had sadly quoted.

He had Asked Zero to take X and his old, dead frame as far away from Abel city as possible, to get out of the continent...or at-least reach the border that separated Canada from what used to be America.

Used to be...the raging fires, the previous world war and climate change had turned the place mostly inhabitable, Texas was an irradiated desert, and Mexico's war cartel had decimated whatever had been there. Only the tail of the continent was still green...and somehow civilized.

Abel City was where New-Hampshire used to be. It was huge, sprawling...end everyone was struggling to find work and pay the ludicrously high bills since the general workforce and labour had been dumped on the reploids...those who lived without the need...expensive to manufacture, but cheap to keep.

Modern Day slaves...mere machines...

Machines that felt, Machines that cried without tears...soulless workers who had no business complaining of their perceived mistreatment.

Those who did...were labelled mavericks. And thus, Sigma activated the civil war protocol...

His side sought retribution, and the human sought the safe and 'happy' status quo. No one wanted to give an inch to the others...and thus, Abel would fall. And reploids would be feared.

Zero sighed... That's was why he'd rather been an unthinking machine of war. he didn't need to ponder too much about what he was doing. He was serving Sigma, and there was nothing more to know.

He was happily stuck in ignorance...and would have been happy to keep functioning like this until he'd met his end.

And yet, this easy if grim out-look had been shaken the moment he had pulled X out of his plant-coffin.

After finding X, the lost father of all reploid in the middle of nowhere, his body being engulfed in what amounted to a small ecosystem by itself and almost gone. Zero had started...no, not started, the feeling of ownership and affection had already been there due to the dreams. But now, being X's designated caretaker?

Grown faster than...weed? no... faster than Kudzu, if X's botanical expertise was any indication.

Well, those feelings had exploded, and X had been the only thing in his mind. and Zero became more than just a hunter...a murder machine.

He became X's keeper, his maintainer, his protector.

X's happiness became Zero's happiness, X's mental well being his top priority, X's new body his ultimate goal and dream...X's smile, his freckles, his state of beings became Zero's obsession...his tears when he learned that Cain had passed away, his helplessness... his greatest wounds.

His anguish at how, even after a decade, Reploids were still seen as... workers mostly. This had become Zero's failure...even if Zero had nothing to do with it.

In other words, X had quickly become Zero's very life, and what defined everything.

And now...X was not happy. At all.

Zero sighed again as he dodged yet another pot-hole.

Ever since Zero had received the order to evacuate and keep his X safe, the father of all reploid had given him the silent treatment.

Zero was used to it, Iris, Layers and even Axl would treat him to it...even if the rookie could not keep quiet for five minutes...let alone a full day.

But with X tough?

it...hurt him...it really did...

It felt like a full millennium since he had last heard X's sweet, soft yet presently masculine tones. What to say of his smile.

...it had been five days since they got out of Abel City and X realized that whatever he would say to try to have Zero-turn back and fight Sigma was in vain.

And now...X had turned to the shelter of mutism to express his discontent of Sigma's action...and at how Zero had complied. And no amount of verbal prompting Zero would give his X would have the disembodied blue bomber speak.

He would not even look at Zero...going as far as to turn his Avatar away so that only his back was shown.

X...was only a bit less beautiful from his back than his front, but it triggered something...predatory in the red hunter...

He wanted to pounce his little blue friend...simple as that. Bite his neck...not to kill, obliviously but...

Zero doubted this could be considered friendly...even if it was out of...affection?

Zero doubted his creators had given him the same types of Human feeling that would animate X...that would make him smile, get flustered because the red Ripper had told him that he looked gradient, to cry over lost...to feel sad and dejected.

Actually, it was painful for Zero to see his X like that...not only that but the red reploid had no idea when or how he had started to consider X _his_.

He had asked Douglas and his 'brother' lifesaver to explain why he felt like that about X.

They had then redirected Zero to, Shockingly enough, Axl and Lumine. There...They had given Zero an encrypted message from Sigma, about how the war had to start...about how all the willing and able reploids had to turn maverick or face more injustice at the hands of cruel handlers.

Their parting words had been to explain to Zero what affection meant...using themselves as an example.

This explained why Axl was more annoyingly happy than usual...and why Lumine looked less stressed out and as if walking of memory foam.

As much as he loathed to use the word...it perfectly described what he felt for X, the first, the oldest...

the most broken and dear to Zero's life.

He wanted to hold X...to tell him everything would be fine, to gently nibble on his ear cone and...just be there for him.

But...without a physical body, this was an impossible dream.

And thus Zero and X drove in silence. Sometimes, Zero would stop to show his...his best friend the stars, a river that now ran clear...even some wildlife that had managed to recover and escape from the ever so destructive mavericks.

Eventually, Zero had to stop. His fuel tank...both of them were empty, and his disk required to be defragmented.

He found a place, an abandoned farmstead with an old concrete grain silo. The red android had no idea where he was, saved that they had managed to cross the defunct borders...but he knew the time and he knew he was easier to see under the cover of darkness.

He had no idea who his creator was, but one thing for sure, he had a thing for flashy things.

After making sure the structure was still sound, Zero walked in with X and his land-rider. The last thing he wanted was to be exposed.

He could charge in the morning...and X's tablet had a good enough battery to last through the whole night.

Sigma had tasked him to protect X and his old hardware from any humans he didn't trust...which was all of them at the moment. And he knew...he just knew he was being followed...

Even if he wasn't Zero would rather keep thinking this way until the reploid liberation front won.

Finding a 'corner' in which he could rest while still facing the door, Zero finally let himself a chance to rest.

no...not a complete shutdown...just the time to let his CPU cool down and...just rest for a bit.

X may not speak to him anymore. But as long as he remained safe and free...then Zero would happily suffer his silence for all eternity.

He looked at the door as he half-powered down, his buster already out and primed.

Time passed, and only the sound of the wind and the howling of coyote met Zero's ever-vigilant audio. There was a family of owls flying in and out, hunting. And some bats also...

it was...so quiet...so soothing to be away from Abel city, the cars and all the chaos that happened there.

Zero hugged X's tablet closer to his core, charging it wirelessly despite not really needing it...X may not speak to him, but it didn't mean Zero should stop caring.

Yes...Caring. Caring for someone other than himself and his fighting ability. Caring for someone weaker, someone who needed him was unheard of...but for X.

He cared for him...it was natural.

The red ripper dosed off...the night sounds and the gentle breeze lulling him in as close to recharge as he would allow, the most important person on the planet resting on his chest...right between his two auxiliary batteries.

Idly, he wondered how it would feel to hold X's body like this...his nose buried in his russet hair... The weight of his body pressing down on him, the humming of his functioning core next to his.

' _No...better not_ _get_ _my hopes up...were at wars with the humans, for all I know...all reploids will be hunted down to_ _extinction._ _'_ It was a sobering thought...but being built as the super-most efficient, self-repairing, self-updating, surcharging and can-live-off-of-dust-and-sand war model, he would make it out...as long as he didn't suffer from exhaustion or a nuclear blast, that is.

He clutched X's tablet closer... as dark thought began to swirl in his CPU... doubts and fear that would be drowned in his daily grind as a hunter now assaulted Zero, and the red ripper had no way to chase them off.

What if Sigma was wrong? What if...What if the humans were innocent and all those tales of horrors but a mere pretext to destroy them all. Or worst! _What is Sigma was right_!

This...meant that Zero's task to protect X would be unending...and that X would never be free...

He would never be free of fear, of the feeling of being a failure...and the goddamned tablet.

"Zero?"

Zero snapped back to full attention...X...His X had broken his vow of silence. "X?"

Hating how meek he sounded, Zero readjusted his shot. "So...your finally speaking."

' _Too harsh?'_ Zero wondered...he was terrible when it came to understanding others.

"I..." X Paused again...and immediately, Zero feared the tablet may be experiencing some glitches...either that or X was the one having some error.

"I'm sorry."

Zero took the tablet out from the shelter of his chest. "X...why are you sorry?" He asked his friend, greatly appreciating the core-crushing sight.

X was...beautiful. As in...he had this innocence, this boyish good look that never failed to stall Zero's fans.

He had a full head of ruddy hair, a round face, a button nose and freckles...

Some humans would consider those freckles flaws...but for Zero, those tiny spots just served to accentuate just how sweet, innocent and vulnerable his X was. Despite the power, he would pack, wee he still back in his amazing frame. The one thing that marred the whole picture was his frown.

This was unacceptable, his X should have a bright smile on his face.

X looked away from his handler. "I...gave you the cold shoulder...even after all you did for me."

Zero brushed the side of the frame with his thumb. He knew X like to talk...and didn't mind a silent partner.

"I...I can't believe Sigma...I can't believe it...Zero, It's so s _ickening_. How could he...how could he go against the Asimov codes? Against humans." he asked his partner, his confusion and disgust clear on his avatar.

"Well, he has free will. All reploids have that." Zero explained, even he had free will. Well, a few programs had to be removed and altered to free him from an obsolete order. Then he had been free to make his own decision. "In the end, we may have a code of morality, but it's our choice to follow it. And those reploids made their choice."

"And why aren't you trying to stop him!" X scolded. finale, Zero could see how anger looked on his ever-youthful face. "Aren't you a hunter? Someone who stops mavericks?"

He looked...adorable when mad.

Zero shrugged. "No...I never considered myself a hunter, I just follow the orders of Sigma. And his orders were to keep you of this conflict." It made sense to Zero. Commander Sigma was the most powerful and the oldest, and he had proven time and time again that, in dealing with others, he was the wisest and most intelligent.

Zero trusted the rep', for he had also saved him from being eliminated. He had given him a name, a place to stay...a position in which his arts and powers could be used without labelling Zero a treat to humanity.

He was Loyal to him...for before Axl had turned himself in after ratting out the illegal bounty hunters and being recruited by the powerful commander. Sigma had been the only one who saw Zero as something other than a mindless machine.

"Commander Sigma doesn't want you to get tangled in a war...he wants you safe!"

"But why!?" X demanded, his cheeks red and his virtual eyes filled with tears.

"Because he cares about you... as he cares for me, and all of those who serve under him."

X sighed as he dragged his hands in his wonderful mop of hair. "I...I still have no idea why Sigma got _Lumine_ the world's most brilliant reploid in the world...to try and make something dead work again. And you...you got stuck babysitting a fancy Tamagotchi when you could have been out to protect people and hunt maverick!...and to protect humans!"

"Hey, I don't mind...I like hanging out with you." Zero admitted. Sure, staying at H.Q while X binged of ten years worth of information. If not for the fact that X would ask his handler for input about different events.

Thankfully, he had not asked Zero what he did before he became a hunter.

X made an intelligible grunt, still feeling depressed about the whole ordeal.

" He cares about his father." Zero added.

"I'm no a father to him..." X replied. "I was just the basis of his blueprint, doctor Cain's the one he called father...not me." His voice grew quiet. "I can't believe ...I can't believe he started a war with Humanity...he went...he went maverick." His voice squeaked at the end...as he finally managed to put the dreaded label on the... on the second reploid ever made.

This was the last straw for X's emotional control...

Quite spontaneously, Zero brought X to his chest...and for a moment, he could fool himself that he really was holding this amazing cyber-soul that had called out to him through his dream.

"Zero...what should I do? What am I supposed to do? My father...Doctor light wanted me to protect humanity...but in my current state..." he let out a sob, piercing Zero's core. "What should I do? What can I do? On what side should I be...?" He asked, the tablet vibrating... "I have to protect humanity...but...I have nothing...I have nothing at all! I'm practically _dead!"_

' _He's shaking...'_ The reploid in red realized. Holding X closer, willing his arms and upper body to somehow enter the tablet. Wanting to but X into him so that the big and cruel universe could not hurt him anymore.

This was an idea...Zero was sure he could find a place in his hardware for X's tablet... He would be protected and would never run out of energy. And as long as Zero would play it safe-

' _No...that would be a terrible idea. I get damaged to often and I don't think X would appreciate being in a dark and lonely place again.'_ The red war machine belatedly realized. X was a social animal...and he wanted to be friend with as many people as he could... whether human or reploid.

In his arms...X still sobbed. his whole world...his fragile life he was rebuilding himself after a ten-year-long coma had been shattered, whatever stability he had was gone...

He only had Zero for company. and nothing else.

An idea came to him...He _had_ planned to tell everything to X once his hardware was either fixed or replaced. But with how things were going...Zero would have more chance to find a random reploid expert in the middle of nowhere then having Lumine survive, break out and come up with a new and improved body for X.

His current, rusted frame was beyond anything a human could so, and it was clear it was also beyond something the reploid kind could do also.

"X... do you know how I managed to find you?" Zero asked, seemingly out of the blue. Lifting the tablet up so he could look at the still sobbing X.

He was hugging himself...he looked so lonely in his cyberspace.

"X!" He called out louder, hoping his commanding voice alone would snap X back to reality.

It worked, and Zero had all of the blue bomber's attention. "Ah! Yes... Zero?" he snapped back to attention, wiping away his tears. "I'm sorry...I...I won't cry I'm...I find...I'm-" he was clearly embarrassed by his outburst.

And still not fine...

' _No...I think He's F.I.N.E'_ Zero thought with deep concern.

This had also been in the reports, how he would cry over nothing. But Vile being Vile, this 'nothing' was a blown open ICU ward... in a children's hospital.

Zero knew that those humans had people who cared for them... as Zero cared for X.

If X would've been one of those bodies pulled out of the rubbles... There would've been hell to pay.

Zero relaxed his shoulder, he didn't want his friend to think he was angry. "Do you want to know how I found you that day?" he asked again. Causing X's gloriously green eyes to bloom wider.

"Umm...no, I didn't...weren't you send on a mission to find me?" X asked...then he shook his head. "No, I was gone for over ten years and considered M.I.A..." X answered for himself, hiding his lips with a pondering crooked finger. "Hmmm...No, I have no idea why _anyone_ would bother looking for me after so long." He looked at Zero with the question glowing in his gloriously green eyes.

Zero _really_ liked them. They kept him away for how...blasphemous long it had taken for anyone to go look for X.

He knew there must have been foul play, but unfortunately, all traces had been erased, meaning Zero could not hunt down the bastard that had practically killed his X.

For shame.

"I dreamt of you...practically every night since my activation; You were there, in a meadow filled with flowers." Zero smiled even as guilt nibbled at his heart. "You would tell me to find you...to look for you." Zero smiles fell. "I...I failed you...I took too long and now." He sighed. "I'm the one who should be sorry X..."

"Zero...you didn't fail," X assured his best and now the only friend. " You did find me... and I'm still here, still alive. Technically." He laughed, wonder clear in his voice. "So...I wasn't dreaming then." the blue father of all reploid whispered. Tears were still in his eyes...but Zero knew those were not from sorrow.

Zero's brows hid under his helmet. "wait...what?" he could feel his whole world tilt on his axis.

"I...When I was..there, under this tree...my body couldn't move but...I was still conscious." he revealed. "I was so scared Zero, so lonely. And I...I started to pray that someone could find me or...or I could find a way to contact someone and tell them what had happened."

"And?"

"And..." X blushed. "Ah...it's...It's not logical." he shrunk back.

"I followed a dream and a butterfly to find you, try me." Zero smirked, more than happy to be able to speak to his X again.

X sighed, fidget and finally began to speak. " I saw a Jesus Christ telling me to go and look for you," he said as plainly as possible. "And...I did."

"I spoke to you so often Zero...and when you went into sleep mode, you would come and look for me." X smiled.

Zero returned the smile. "Yeah...I did..."

A comfortable silence fell upon the duo. And the red android quite spontaneously hugged the tablet to his core. He felt...tired. His batteries almost depleted.

"Zero...thank you...You have no idea how lonely I was." X spoke with a gratitude that struck a chord in Zero's heart.

"But X...you never were alone," Zero argued. "I heard from Sigma that Cain used to be with you, and then there was the press and...you had fame." No, Zero was not the most bright reploid when it came to the matter of emotions and social subtleties. But he also knew that fame meant that you always had someone who wanted to speak to you.

All the time...

And X being the first-ever reploid, practically the father of an _entire race of hyper powerful being_ meant that his fame was...

"It's a curse." X rasped. "I was surrounded with people who only saw me as...as an interesting machine...but not as a person." Zero could hear tears. _'_ _aw scrap.'_ "I was...I always was The First...that's it. Only...only Cain saw me as an individual and not just an idea...a concept."

Zero remained quiet, just listening to X as he opened his heart further. From a hole in the Silo's roof, the red android could see the thick, rain-laden cloud cover the sea of stars.

' _Aw shit...rain.'_ he let a very human curse resound in his CPU...this meant that, short of having a short shower, he would probably lose a few hours of recharge.

Oh well, it wasn't like having no batteries would kill him or X. It would just keep them from moving.

He turned his full attention back to his blue bomber, already feeling drained, but unwilling to make X feel as if his aching heart was not important to Zero.

X had been seen as an item by everyone...and no one would really listen to him saved for Cain. And even then, the man was exceedingly busy with his new-found fame and adoration.

X felt a bit vexed...but he had sadly grown used to it.

And now, ten years later, and Zero was absolutely certain X was even lonelier than before. Cain had passed away, and whoever wanted to speak with the mythical reploid had to face Zero.

Oh, and he was stuck in a tablet. A tablet the Red Ripper was holding practically twenty-four seven

Actually, ever since he had found X...and that Lumine did the impossible and converted his latest and most beloved one tablet into a virtual environment for X to be in, X was now his cynosure...his entire day revolved around the blue bot.

"Zero?"

"Sorry X...what were you saying? My mind wandered." He admitted. His mind tended to do that when about to shut down. "I'll listen to you as long as my battery will allow...and we may not be able to do much if the rain remains for..."

"It will." X forlorn tone told Zero all that he needed to know.

"so...what were you telling me about your curse fame?" the red android asked, keeping X's tablet close to his heart.

X sighed. "I...I was alone...even when surrounded." he looked to the lower corner of his environment. "the only one who ever saw me as a person...is dead. I'm...I'm all alone in a crowd Zero, it's... it's worst then being stuck in the wild for a decade."

"and how about the with the maverick hunter?" Zero asked, happy to be able to share a moment with his dearmost friend.

"Ah! That was even worst. There, if I wasn't seen as an over-privileged celebrity, then I was seen as an obsolete system...a weakling." X cringed. "I was either hated or seing as a novelity...nothing more than that."

hearing those words, Zero scoffed. "Obliviously, they never saw your speck.

"Oh trust me...they did..."

"so...why did you score so low on your hunter test?" Zero finally managed to ask the one question that had bothered him.

X remained silent. It was clear he was ruminating on what he was about to say.

"X...I'm asking as a friend, not as an X rank hunter." at those words, Zero felt the tablet...give a small hitch.

He could hear a relieved huff from his friend...sure, Zero wanted more but.

Axl had told him that usually, friendship came first, then comes love, then came a ring and a family.

Actually, the red-head had sung it in a very annoying tune after Zero had told him about how...how ridiculously happy he felt when X was happy...and how beatiful he was in his simple desing. And how his green eyes would sparkle when he saw Zero and...

"Zero I...I hate Violence, I never liked using my weapon system and..." he huffed again. "And there' must be another way to deal with the maverick then violence! Like...like we could try reasoning with them or...we could have, we could have counselling, some help and support instead of killing irregulars!" X's eyes grew wide and he realized something deep and terrifying.

"X?" Zero asked as he heard his friend's voice stop.

"That's why the war is starting." the blue android realized. "I... We can't have counsellors or...Reploids don't have a right...were just...were just appliances."

"And Sigma was trying to change that...and he is." Zero braced himself. "X... He told me the revolution was his last option. If he started a civil war with the humans..." He could just hear his X self-loathing.

"X. SO the war started...but Sigma gave you an out..." he spoke feeling his thought slowing down as he steadily ran out of energy. "X...you may think...That you are stuck...between two sides...but you are wrong."

"Zero?"

"I'm not...serving the...humans...and I'm not serving...Siguma..." Zero slurred as he tried to stave off sleep mode. "My mission...has been...and...always...will be...to protect...you..."

"I'm your side."

and with those last words, darkness overcame him.


	2. Chapter 2

When he returned to fully operational, 39 hours had passed...and he was covered with mud, water and some other debris. Under his hands, X slept in his tablet.

Zero sighed as he felt the sun warming his frame and charging his battery... whoever made this giant light bulb had the red rippers full appreciation. For how could he charge X without it?

He opened his eyes...his chronometer warning the red android about how it was the after noon and that no mechanical threat was detected nearby. _'Good...'_ He may be itching for a fight, but with X on his person, it would make his mission to protect him nearly impossible.

He sat up, whipping away the residual water and debris that covered his frame...and X's tablet.

No, he was not worried about the tablet; he had practically held Lumine hostage until the hardware could be as indestructible as possible... meaning it was now water prof and shook proof...somewhat.

It was still a tablet, after all. And a single stray buster shot was all it would take to end X's game for good.

He booted the black, flat computer. He was first greeted by the pine Logo... then the black and white terminal scrolling the boot-up sequence before finally...

X appeared...fist as a wireframe, and then in his full glories as he floated in the forest like expanse of his virtual space.

Actually, X had told his friend that the environment could look as he wanted. If he wanted a bed, he could have a bed, if he wanted to walk on the floor, he could have a floor to walk on, and if he wanted an armour...then he could have an armour.

Privately, Zero wondered how X would look with nothing on. Would he have a black synth skin like Zero? Or would he look like a human? What would he chose and...

Would he choose to look completely human? A man? A woman?...or would he chose to look like neither and simply appear as he was in the outside world. Meaning, robotic?

X opened his eyes...his beautiful forest green eyes. The moment X's external Camera came on, and he saw Zero, his whole face light up with a smile.

"Hey, Zero! Good-" he checked the tablet clock. "After noon, did you recharge well?" he asked, his eyes filled with care and...affection.

Zero returned the smile, his core pleasantly heating up with a feeling only seeing and hearing X could produce.

Was it love? Maybe, but Zero didn't dare pursue it like what they would do in movies, for he had no idea if his blue bomber shared the same feelings, and he didn't want to... He didn't want to lose what he had with him.

...

Chasing this stupid idea that would just make him suffer more in silence, the red android elected to throw caution to the wind and to as his heart dictated...as cheesy as it sounded, and kissed the screen.

Directly on X's lips.

He had almost lost X by dismissing his dreams as something illogical. He didn't want to run the risk of missing an opportunity again...and Losing X.

Funny how this amazing android had managed to worm his way into Zero's mechanical heart.

X...even stuck in a tablet, had this amazing ability to make Zero _feel_. And not just feeling joy as he dominated and destroyed whatever Maverick had the misfortune to get in his way. No...

X's joy and pleasure became Zero's...and his sadness and anger also belonged to Zero.

In essence, X belonged to Zero...

When he pulled away, Zero made his best attempt to act as if this had been something completely mundane and an everyday occurrence for him. Helped by the fact that he didn't have the ability to blush.

"Good after noon, X." he stated simply to the flagerblasted Electronic life-form. "And yes...I did. Thank you for asking."

The blue reploid stared at Zero,, seemingly frozen, and the red android began to doubt his impulsive decision.

But as with everything in his life, Zero had learned that if he acted as if everything was normal and he totally didn't slip, dropped his sword or went on a horrible political stunt called a date. Then whatever wrong had happened would be dropped by the general populace.

He just hoped he didn't break X with it tough.

Then...X finally reacted. "Oh...Ah...Ah." He was clearly flustered, shuffling his feet around. "Y...your welcome, I guess."

Zero smirked...really, X was...what was the word?

Right, Axl would probably call him adorable. Zero updated his dictionary to have a picture of the fluster X beside the word,, adorable.

When X peered up...his cheeks had gained a blazing red glow and his eyes sparkle. And the smile he gave Zero said everything the red ripper needed to know.

Zero smiled back...Yes, he had been a friend for five month's six days, eleven hours, Four minutes and many seconds... He supposed he was already at the love part.

It felt...amazing to love someone... especially someone as amazing and sweet as X., And with the smile he had, it was clear he didn't mind Zero at all.

Suddenly, the noise of something hitting the ground...something that was a little too close to Zero's land rider...and the sound of a very human gasp.

Zero jumped to his feet, beating himself up about how much of an idiot he was. The war had started, nowhere was safe for reploids, and he was in enemy territory... He grabbed his sword.

How had he not heard them approaching? Was he that blinded by this feeling he had for X?

' _So, love is a handicap...alright, I'll take this challenge on then.!'_

"NO, Zero, wait!" X screamed from inside the tablet. And Zero paused his battle algorithm.

There, staring at Zero like Axl with his hand in the lemon zapper jars, where two blond girls...humans girls in their exposed arms and legs were any indication. They had blue eyes, sloppy ponytails and were dressed in filthy jeans and boots... besides the land-rider was a pair of bicycles..

They stared at Zero (and X.) with fear. And for a good reason.

They were pulling X's damaged frame out of his protective box. What had fallen in the mud had been his head...

No...that was his helmet; his head was still attached to his neck.

His left eye still gray and vacantly staring at the red ripper...and to Zero, some fear seemed to be present there...

The two girls stared at Zero, and the reploid did the same, wondering how he could deal with this situation.

Should he kill them? No, that would be a terrible idea since it would put on him...and,, by extension,, X, a huge cross-air.

Should he...do nothing?

Well...that's what he was already doing.

Should he run and leave X's remained to those scavengers?

He could...but this was X's body, something that had birthed an entire race by its incomplete understanding...

His CPU ran through thousands of scenarios, none of them favourable until finally...one of the girls smiled.

"See Fleur! I told you he was still alive." One of the girls spoke to her sister. Who was looking at Zero with unending awe?

"He is...oh my gosh, Ciel! I never thought I would see maverick hunter Zero in the fl... in the..." Fleur pulled her tongue out, trying to find a way to make this expression as politicly correct as she could.

"What are you doing to X's body?" The Red Ripper asked, his sabre off but still in his left hand.

"X?" Ciel's blue eyes grew wider as she returned her attention back to the unusable body of his... more than a friend. "Oh, my God!" She gasped as she excitedly jumped. "Fleur! Fleur, did you hear?" she asked her sister.

"Totaly!" the other blond squealed. "Oh, my God, this is like the best junk hunting trip _ever!_ " she cheered.

Then both ran to Zero and held his hands.

Now up close, Zero could clearly see that those two girls were completely identical. Save from some very minor details that no humans could pick-up.

"Mister Zero..." Both girls spoke in unison, their eyes sparkling with aw and hero worship. "can you please come to our uncle's ranch?"

"N-"

"We could fix X for you."

Zero bit his tongue...

[X, what should I do?] He Bluetoothed his partner. [Should I follow them?]

[Well...they don't seem to have a bad intention, and...we better start making some other allies Zero, like this, our side won't be just the two of us.]

[X, Please, I'm all you need.]

[Please, Zero, don't get cocky now, an inflated pride will always lead to a fall.] X warned.

Usually, Zero would scoff at such a warning...but knowing what had happened to his partner, he took it as a sign.

[Still, I know you'll be able to get us out of trouble if the worst happens.] The blue bomber spoke with clear trust and confidence.

[Hey, and you told me not to be too cocky.] Zero sent back. Feeling a pleasant warmth glowing in his core.

[There's nothing wrong with appreciating another's ability and strength.] X sent...and also conveyed to Zero a wink emoji.

' _huh...so it's not just Axl who does that then.'_ Zero observed. He returned his attention to the twin units. "Alright...how far is it?" Zero asked, still on edge.

"It's twenty kilometres away from here, in Ange-garden. Our uncle owns a small farmstead..." the one on the left said.

"and he's like, a wizard when it comes to computers." spoke the right one with clear enthusiasm.

"And Reploids...like, any Canadian Reploid's have his what's up number. Causes he's that good." Lefty declared, pulling Zero to his land rider. "But...I'm not that bad either."

The right one huffed. "Puh-lease, last time, Uncle had to fix up the reversed-" what fallowed was the pair bickering about their lack of skills, and if Zero was at all honest, only Lumine could take pleasure in such conversation.

As they argued, Zero picked up X's discarded and cracked helmet and cleaned the discoloured artifact as best he could before gently returning it to his rightful owner. A discoloured patch of hair poing through the hole...

His skin was almost the colour of abalaster saved for his forehead, his freckles were but faded suggestions...his left eye was a grey mirror reflecting Zero's saddened face and his synth-skin craked around his opened mouth, the natural weight of his jaw tearing it apart.

Zero rebound X's body with care, making sure nothing would move...and, after taking an extra strap, removed X's helmet again and bound his mouth close and securely.

Then...he paused. Even in such decrepitated state, X was still handsome.

Glancing back at the bickering twins, Zero quickly gave a pecked to his partner...on the cheek.

No...with how tacky the synth skin felt, the last thing Zero wanted was to have X's lips rip away and be glued to his own. Besides, this was his dead frame, were he human, that would count as Necrophilia.

Yes...Axl had some very interesting google searches.

He heard a gasp for the tablet...maybe, he had crossed the line there?

"Zero..." X uttered his hand to his cheek.

[Yes, X? Did I do something wrong?] Zero asked over a wireless connection.

One side of his didn't to admit it...but...

Well, maybe he had been a little fast with that kiss? And how did X saw his old body? And did he even liked Zero like that in the first place?

' _Oh, shut up_ ,, _Mind, you think too much.'_ the red reploid tried to wave his doubt away.

[No...no,, you didn't...I just tought...no...no, that wouldn't be logical.] X dismissed. [Anyway, let's go from there...Let's see if Ciel and Fleur are truthful.]

[leaping before thinking...I though you'd never dare.]Zero teased.

[Hey, it happened sometime...we still need to talk about that...that Kiss.] Zero could practically hear the blush painting X's avatar's face a deep shade of red.

[You didn't like it?]

[Oh,, no...Not at all.] And then Zero could 'breath.

"Alright...I'm almost done packing you. We should be able to leave in five minutes." Zero addressed the dead frame of X...

Then he shook his head...having no clue why he spoke to something that could not see and hear.

He turned to the bickering two girls. "Alright, stop arguing. Lead me to your uncle's ranch." he barked, unwilling to endure for the duration of the trip back in ange-guardien.

The trip up north was relatively uneventful saved for a few times when Fleur had tried to take a shortcut...it really was a shortcut, and indeed the country side had this charm X, and Zero never got to see in Abel City...or, Zero never had the chance to stop and look at Nature...and X had had a little too much over the last decade.

Still...it was beautiful now that both electronic life-form had the time to appreciate it...away from the war and the drab concrete of the city.

He had mentioned to the two girls how...peaceful the place was...and how there seemed to be no trace of maverikism anywhere. There was no trace of recent bombing, no mechalinoid and Zero could not remember the last time he had been deploid in Canada.

'Oh, In Canada, Reploids have the same rights as humans." Ciel had piped up during a break to refil her water canteen at a recharge station. For they thought Zero and X would need a refill.

After a fully charge thank and a hosing down, they were driving again, Zero following the two girls as the cover of the night descended on the now agarien land.

"It's...amazing," Zero uttered as he gazed around the fields of grains and some forested area. "Who would've thought Canada would be so...peaceful and green."

"I know," X answered. " It's so...calm and quiet; I never thought I would miss being in the wild, you know."

"Hey, don't joke about that," Zero warned, the image of X's unmoving body, half-buried under a small jungle still etched in his mind.

"Zero, I'm not joking...still, I think I prefer to be with you then just plants."

Despite himself, a smile drew itself on Zero's lips, the lull in the conversation only punctuated by the sounds of the coyote, night owls and the gentle humming of the three electrical engines.

"Zero..." X spoke up over the wind. "Who...who are we?"

"X and Zero."

"No, I mean...us...what are we now?" X asked.

"Where friends..." This was what X had wanted. He didn't want Zero to be a guardian or a handler...he wanted a real friend, someone he could open his heart too without fear. Someone he could joke with, someone who would not be afraid to call his utopic idea a silly notion not even close to being a dream...

Zero knew he had failed at the last part, for he never could get enough of the enthusiasm X could generate when envisioning a future where humans and reploids lived hands in hands...as brother , sister and sibblingsr. Working together to re-green mother earth and work toward the betterment f the human race.

It was stupid, something only cheezy novels would taught about. Humans were egotistical creatures,, and reploids were all basically gaged and bound under the Asimov laws...and the hunters were the blades.

Still, it gave X a reason not to lose hope despite the hopeless situation, and it gave Zero a reason to live, other than fighting.

He would fight For X...and none other.

"Zero...Friends don't kiss on each other's mouth." X mock deadpan, for his smile, was irrepressible.

"I kissed you on the screen."

"On my lips... you were like, five meters short of hitting your mark Zero. It was a good try too."

"hey, don't mock my aim." Zero balked. "And...is your screen really that far away?"

"Well...I don't really see you thought the screen...just trough the camera." X admitted.

"So...I didn't really managed to kiss you." Zero didn't even bothered to hide his dejection.

"Zero...Do you... DO you love me like...like Lumine loves Axl?" X managed to aksed, and the red Reploid could practically hear the blush that decorated his freckled face.

He processed the question, mechanically following the two girls down a graveled path. ".... No, I don;t think so. I just know that it's started as a cruhh from Axl's part. Never expected it to grow into anything. Zero admitted. "But what We have... it's not just a question of good the other look. What we have is... I feel it's deeper then that like..." He trailed of, letting the natural flow of the conversation take him to the subject of Axl and his realised crush.

" Do you think it will last?" Zero asked his partner. wanting to speak about a lighter subject then his feelings while driving.

"I don't know...." X admitted as Zero, and the two girls pulled up on a sweet homestead. "But Lumine's not...he's not a creepy loner. And he's quite lonely...I guess he did not mind Axl's advance." Zero could hear his X's blush just from the tone of his voice. " But...I'm scared Axl may be exploiting him since Doctor Lumine's not... Well, he may get into trouble."

"Hm... I warned Axl not to play with his heart. But knowing Axl's background..." He traield off.

The Kid had been found and trained by Red, a notorues hired Gun... that's what he called himself anyway.

There was such a thing a a reploid Mafia... and Red may or may not have been the padre.

Sure, Axl may be a sweet little shit... but he had a dark side no one should ignore. AN he hoped for Lumine that it really was the sweet kid that had dumbly crushed on him... and not something wist.

 _'Yeah... A better subject about how Axl got two faces... and were in a war. I just hope... I just hope the kid will... Oh Axl, be_ carefull.'

He pulled up on a gravel driveway, and the two girls lead the red ripper to a shed; there, they parked their bike and Zero his land rider.

"Were home!"

"Welcome, Zero; I'm sure our uncle will be-" But before Sky or Flower...sorry, Ciel of Fleur could speak further, a powerful light lit she shed,, and Zero's Saber was already out.

"Fleure! Ciel! Je Vous-est dit des million de foix the m'appler _et de revenir a la maison avant_ _Min~"_ An old man yelled as he hobbled closer. He was dressed in a very dark nightgown and wore a bright orange cap. His whole face red with anger...but the sight of the towering reploid seemed to stop him in his track.

He took stock of the agreed reploid...it was only X's assurance that this was just an old man and that he did nothing wrong, stilled Zero's blade.

He trusted X...and he knew killing anything remotely human for any reason would put his...hit _His_ X in an unnecessary amount of danger.

The old man moved his flashlight to Zero's face...and his eyes bows disappeared under his neon-orange cap...that happened to resemble a traffic cone, to be honest.

"Les fille...r'vener a maison et allez vous coucher." He addressed the twins, his eyes never leaving Zero...who was now starting to regret his decision to follow the two teens.

"Mais monnonque Albert-"

"Pas de mais, je vais dealer avec vous deux, demain...vous ete crever, j'eux bain voire sa..."

"Okay..."

After this exchange, Ciel and Fleure quietly returned to the house; their head kept low.

The crazy old Frenchman then turned his attention to Zero and X. His beady eyes peering at the two from under the traffic cone nightcap...

Once again, Zero doubted following those two girls was a good idea. Their uncle was absolutely insane.

Said mad man aprached the couple, "Anglais ou francais?" He asked.

"Ah...English. My translation software could not read you, mister Albert."

A bright smile lit Albert's face. "Ah yes...all reploids have this problem. they can't handle french canadien... Now please come inside quickly. I wouldn't want the border patrol to catch,, you know." He took Zero's hand and pulled him inside. "Don't worry, my friend...I will hide you. And I will make sure you gain the refuge statues as soon as possible. Welcome to Ange-Guardien...and Canada..."

"Ah...before you let me in...I have too-" Zero turned to the bow where X's body remained.

"Oh bordel...Oh misericorde." Albert sounded especially dismayed. "You...were not alone, were you?"

"No, I'm not alone." he showed Albert X, who happily waved back at him. "my partner god disembodied before we let Abel City...I just need to find a guy to repair him but..." Zero huffed. "At this point...I doubt anyone can fix him."

It hurt to admit...but at that point, X's body was what it was; a very dangerous dead weight.

and then he paused... what had processed him into revealing X's precarious situation? it would've been better to keep it a secret.

Albert rubbed his chin... "Yes...I see. May I please see his body?" he asked. "I may...And I'm being very generous here, be able to do something about it...I also know this one guy who specialises in reploid funeral rite."

"Wait...we have funeral rites?" X asked for Zero.

Albert looked at the couple with clear pitty. "Yes...in Canada only, it seems...Now, let's go see this dead reploid. And please don't leave it in the shed, there's some...Votours looking for dead reploids."

At the mention of those scavengers, Zero rushed to the reploid transport case and quickly unhitched the box and lifted it off the ground.

"Awaye...Come here; my Garage is well secured." He led the reploid to another building, and on a hunch, Zero called his Land-rider to follow him.

Better he leaves no trace of their presence.

The Garage was quite spacious if a bit cluttered, and indeed had quiet the R.F shield and a very respectable security system.

"Come, put it here...let me see how bad it is." the elderly human ordered as he grabbed a pair of magnifying glasses and opened the powerful surgical lamp. He cleared up a workbench of a tarp and brought a homemade computer nearby, one of those models that came with their own sets of wheesl.

It looked old...like... too old to even work on a reploid.

"Come on, on the table..."

Without much to do, Zero complied. He opened the box, took some time to make sure nothing had become dislodged or more broken and, once the transport straps were removed, gently but the body of his partner on the surprisingly padded surface.

X's frame had been...somewhat whipped down by Lumine, he could still see some dried grass here and there, and some remnants of dead flowers and leaves. His arm was still missing, and...

Zero averted his eyes as he clutched X's tablet. _'He's here...he's safe...X is safe and oddly quiet.'_ He reassured himself. Checking his sacred tablet just to make sure.

In the tablet, X looked a bit pale.

"X?"

"I... don't think I'll ever get used to it...seeing my own dead body, you know?"

Zero sighed. "yeah...I know. It must be so weird for you."

"Y...yeah." X looked away. Unsure.

"Ciboire, may ouesque que vous l'avez trouver?" Albert...

"Huh?"

"Where did you find him, in a nature reserve?" Albert asked as he began examining the dead reploid. Noting how taking the synth skin had become.

"Yes."

Albert looked up from the location where Zero had kissed the frame and once again. The red ripper was glad he didn;t have the ability to blush.

"I found him in a field of dasies, under a three..he was covered in moss, heart shaped leafes and flowers." Zero explained. "If...I would've waited longer..." He clutched X to his chest...

It had been close. Too close.

then Albert plugged the computer to X's body, and lo and behold... text was scrolling on the old screen.

As he peered at the screen, Albert's smile grew wider. "I see...Listen, He's not as bad as I tought. A bit of rust, some watter damage. But I can see there's some good components in him. I would't be suprise if Ciel could fix it, she did repeared an ancient Vic-20, you know, and that thing had an ant nest inside." Albert gave a cringy smile. "Please, stay here with you...friend. I have whatever a reploid may need, I can even lend you some cloth so that you may look less feasome, my friend."

But Zero had stopped listening at 'I wouldn't be surprised in Ciel could fix him.' His grin grew wide, and a deep joy filled his heart.

"Mister Albert...is it...is it true?" X's voice floated out of the tablet. The hope that shone through was undeniable.

The old man gave a gentle smile. "My dear, I have seen many reploids coming through this garage, some were alive...and some where not...But you, you do have a fighting chance." He chukled as he adressed X. "But you first need to get fixed up...obliviously..." He yanwed. "Tommorow...I'll start working on you tommorow." He removed his glasses and closed the light. "Use whatever you need...and lease keep it low, don;t wan't to wake up my two niece." and with that, Albert was gone eaving the two reploid to process the fact that...that...

That Lumine had lied to them...X's body was not a dead frame.

It could be fixed.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Yes, So I've made Ciel, her sister and Albert Weil french Canadien.
> 
> Aslo... for how evil he is, Doc Weil's fishbowl really looks like a traffic cone.
> 
> Oh, and Bout the VIC-20, a certain 8-bit guy fixed it, it was twenty years old and had an anthill inside.


	3. Chapter 3

For Kosei, 2

As it turned out, the seemingly mundane Garage had more to do with a very well hidden mini-fortress than anything else. There were firewalls, layers of radiation-proof material on the outside walls and enough energen and spare parts to fix a full squadron of reploids.

It was, to be honest, on par with any reputable reploid military base. And much, much more advanced than what the best defence expert in the world could ever imagine. Especially for someone who lived in a very mundane looking farmstead away from the post-war mega-Cities.

And being so far away from the technopolis' luxurious life meant that practically no maverick would attack them since those irregulars would always try to go big or go home.

And who would be interested in a small township called Ange-guardien? Nothing ever happened there anyway.

Zero had scouted the whole perimeter, nothing how the basement was holding a generator and another room filled with preserves and a bed. There was also a cross that was hung over a cot and a very used bible...and a yellow book titled the Bhagavad-Gita as it is.

There were a water filtration system, few maps, currencies and everything one needed to survive an apocalypse or two, herbal medicines and a statue to two youth; one was a black boy in a golden garment playing the flute, a peacock feather jauntily perched on his very colourful turban, the other was a young girl shining like gold and wearing a cloud blue garment.

But beyond that...and the fact that this garage was ridiculously more advanced and secure than it had any right to be, nothing was amiss.

Happy with how secure the location was, Zero returned to X's body.

He now knew what giddiness and sheer joy felt like. He grabbed X's limp hand and gently caressed it with the pad of his thumb. It was still...bereft of subcutaneous fluids like coolant and oils...

Alright...so it was just his imagination. But...

X's body was still functioning...somewhat. It could be fixed...

_ He could be fixed. _

He took X's tablet, and still holding his hands, both reploids spoke for a long time about what they should do after X was back at being fully functional.

Despite X's misgiving and Zero thirst for fighting, it had been decided to stay as far away from Abel City as possible and any conflict.

X...as powerful as he was, was simply not meant to be a fighter. His heart was simply too kind, too soft...

It wasn't that he was unable to destroy reploids. But Zero was worried about how the war would impact his lover.

He knew many well-meaning reploids that had joined the force out of good sentiments. And how many had broken apart because of the reality of being a hunter and the constant fighting... and the fact that one day, the one at the end of their weapon could be a friend.

Very few made it to even B-ranked. And stayed long enough to be considered good enough for promotion to A...and Zero, the red ripper that had absolutely devastated the Gemma unit upon being found, was the only S-rank. Not even Sigma was there.

How could he, when Zero managed to take him down with a lead pipe?

Nevertheless, in Zero's opinion, it would be better for X to do something else than being a hunter. He was simply too smart for that.

"Zee... I know you want to plan for the future, but right now, I would rather wait until I'm a hundred percent positive my old body can be fixed." X informed his lover.

Zero smiled proudly. X may be the most adorable and lovely reploid ever made...but he was not just a pretty face. Oh no, the father of all reploids was wiser than he would let on. He was smart, quick-witted and even quicker to adapt. And would he be a hunter, Zero would not be surprised if he would be paired with him on a mission. While the red hunter was destruction personified, his processing power would get greatly lowered in the fire of action. On the other hand, X would think too much, always weighing in each end every decision, and always coming up with the best solution following time, place, and circumstances.

Together, they would be unstoppable.

"you know..." Zero began. "Maybe we could be a pair of mercenaries. You would be my navigator while-"

"No..." X denied. "It would put us at risk. Besides, I don't think I would be such a good navigator." X admitted.

Zero sighed. "Alright...so what do _you_ want to do? Like... there are no wars; there's no conflict, I'm not a war machine and your not the father of all reploids." Zero asked as he gently caressed X's hand, careful not to damage anything.

X, whose environment evoked a plant-filled living room, sat back in his hanging wicker chair, his legs crossed over the other and his foot moving up and down as he thought.

It was such a mesmerizing sight to the war machine.

"I would be happy with you, and whatever you would want would be fine by me... so, what do you want?" X playfully shot back, a sweet and mischievous smile painted his delightful lips.

"I would..." Zero sighed, knowing that he was not as eloquent as his lover. "My answer would be the same as you... but... maybe... I wouldn't mind... Geez, I have no idea X. It's not like not having a goal's all that great." He readily admitted. "I'm a fighter, a man of action... and I don't think you would like fighting."

X sighed. "If you want me to be brutally honest...I would rather stay away from this conflict and just forget about the whole thing." He admitted. Then... he shifted in his seat. Averting his glorious green eyes from Zero.

"X... what's wrong? Are you hurt? Do you need to charge more? Am I hurting you?"

"N... No, I..." The disembodied (maybe) reploid denied as he gently shook his head. "...Zero, can I...Can I tell you something very, very private ?"

"Shoot." If they were going to have a life together, better they bear all of their secrets.

"And you swear not to go on a rampage?" X asked, not quite looking at Zero.

' _Oh boy...this_ _doesn't_ _sound very_ _reassuring._ _' "_ Yes, X, I promise."

But X didn't seem satisfied with his boyfriend's answer. "No, I don't want a promise." he looked right at Zero's eyes.

His gaze held cold steel...and it made something deep in Zero's core shiver.

Yes...if he had the opportunity to train the father of all reploids, he would be unconquerable.

"Swear it on my life..."

Zero could not stop the sharp intake of air... "I..." He closed his eyes. Now more than a little weary at what X would tell him.

He had passed five months. Seven days and 38 minutes with the oldest reploid in creation...And x had been very vague about the times before he was a hunter.

Now Zero wondered if he really wanted to hear it...but then, if he wanted to be the best lover and... maybe more for X, then he had to be willing to give his unabashed support. At the very least.

"I swear...on _my_ life, that I will not go on a rampage." He vowed.

"Zee-"

"I'm sorry X, but your life is too precious for me... I'd rather put mine on the line." He admitted. "Now spill it, what happened to you? That's so bad your afraid I'll destroy everything."

X once again averted his beautiful green eyes. Curling up in his wicked char and holding onto his right hand, the one Zero was holding.

He looked so vulnerable...

Quite spontaneously, Zero got up from the ground and picked up X's damaged yet still functioning body.

' _So...Lumine lied when he said nothing could be done for him...'_ Zero tough as he hid his sneer...no, he had no idea why the architect and head engineer of the Jacob elevator project had lied about that. It wasn't like a bit more fame would hurt him... Never the less, X was still in there...and in his tablet...

He sat on the ground with the small and frail body, gently cradling it in his arms protectively.

To hold the body...to Hold X's body like this...it felt right, like it was always meant to be there on Zero's laps.

He took the tablet from the floor again and deposited it on X's pectoral plates. "Here...feeling better?" He asked his boyfriend.

In the tablet, X's eyes were closed as he emulated the position his body was in...tears fell from his eyes as he hugged himself with quivering lips.

"X?" Zero asked fearfully. _'Oh no...please don't tell me I broke him worst.'_

" _I...I can feel you...I...I was never held like this..."_ X choked out. "I wish I could hold you back..."

At those words, Zero held X closer, letting his head rest on his shoulder. He held his blue mate with whatever love and affection he had. Trying to convey that whatever happened, he would be there for him...no matter what.

Time passed as Zero held the limp body of X...it was not so different than the first time he had held his boyfriends, save that now...Their relationship was clear, and no political barriers and red tapes held Zero from doing what he wanted with the father of all reploids.

And since Zero was away from his subordinates, superiors and the press, it means he could be as affectionate with him as he wanted.

Yes...this was something else that had awakened when X had suddenly entered his life. Not that Zero minded at all.

And now...with X out of the lab, and Zero out from the hunter's gossip machine... _'this must be heaven...there's nothing better than this.'_ When was the last time Zero felt so happy?

...the first time he held X. Still thinking his partner just needed a few nights at the infirmary.

No...this was better since X would get fixed by this man...and if Zero's observation of the garage was to be trusted, Albert had more than enough skills to restore his lover to working condition...and more.

"...I was raped..."

And Zero's bliss was gone...by a single word.

"it's not...I wasn't...it's not like in the movies or anything just...that what it feel's to me anyway." X babbled on as he snuggled closer in his chair, and Zero reflexively held him closer. "Well, I guess being pirated and data-mined without my consent would be more accurate...but...maybe not better..."

He could not speak...otherwise, he would roar in sheer outrage. But his lips were close and would heal quite nicely after he pierced them trough, his fangs feeling the need to tear at whatever pirate had dared to desecrate his X.

"Zero?"

"...Who did this...who dared do this?" Zero all but growled.

"...He's dead now..." X spoke after some time. "...He...took my blueprint and my codding...he took what made me...me...and made a race without my consent." The bitterness in X's statement. "I...Would have been OK with it...if not..." His voice choked, he buried himself further in his wicker chair. "I never... I was... I didn't want to be studied...I fell like..." X began to sob, the tablet shaking with the strength of his pain and fear.

"I... He was so nice tough, so kind. He was my best friend... my only friend and." X began to sob. "I... I don't know how to feel about him anymore... I don't know... I don't know!" No words could escape the speaker as X dissolved in tears as an old wound was revealed.

Zero knew who did this... and he had no idea if Cain's actions were misguided but innocent, or... worst.

Oh well, Zero had yet to found the doors to hell, but one thing for sure... This must be were he went. For all good intentions paved the way.

Zero wanted to hold his beloved closer...to merge with him if possible. To hold him in his core so that the big bad and cruel world could not get at him anymore. But short of breaking X further and eating him up, Zero did the next best thing.

"Z...Zero?" X asked, clearly bewildered by what his lover was doing. "Wh...What?"

"My armour's in the way..." Zero explained as he managed to unlatch his bulky top piece, revealing the black Titanium-Z under the skin.

A more recent model would go as far as to have human features, but Zero quite like being different than those flesh bags. He was a reploid, a member of a different race; he didn't have to follow the human way...

And never would.

Now free, he wrapped his arms around his Beloved X, holding him even closer as he tried to shield him from the cruel world that took so much from him.

"Oh..."This was X's only response as he leaned into his seat...as if the virtual piece of furniture was his boyfriend.

Some warmth bloomed into the ex-hunter's core. Proud that, even in this situation, X still considered the bond war machine a worthy shelter.

They remained like, this until Zero dared to remove X's damaged helmet; kissing the top of his head, she held his lover close.

Time passed...a whole hour of delightful cuddles, and X spoke again.

"I just...I don't want to return to the battlefield... and... I just... I would be used as a mascot... and as nothing better than yet another symbol, a puppet... war propaganda." He let out a shaky sigh. " Zero...I just...I just want to put everything behind me and start anew...with you."

Zero kissed the seemingly lifeless body, trying to feel what little energy was coursing under his disturbingly human-like skin. "And I will leave my past...and I will make my new life with you also."

Both reploid's shared a love laden gaze, speaking more than what mere words could allow them.

* * *

"...Oh, so that's what happened." The second voice...X's voice floated to Albert's ears. He sounded so young to him... "And I thought I had it hard."

"Meh... It's in the past, nothing much I can do about it." Zero admitted. "But... I hope it won't change our relationship."

"Oh no...to be honest, I don't really care what you did in the past. You grew out of that phase Zero...and I love you the way you are."

' _Oh...a couple of sweethearts running from the madness in Abel.'_ He observed. This was not uncommon for the old man to help such couples.

Humans and humans, reploids with reploids...and even humans with reploids.

The fact that this was the best hunter of Abel and practically the right-hand man of Sigma didn't matter to Albert, not even that Zero's lover was none other than the father of all reploids...

If he could even be called that.

Still... He had to be repaired, and Albert was confident it could be done.

He...made sure that his two nieces from Ottawa were still fast asleep, and he had set up for them to have a sleepover for the next few nights with their friend that lived closer to the village.

It's not that he didn't want his girls to be with those two reploids, and it not that he didn't want the two girls to be in contact with a pair of lovers...Al just wanted to fix X by himself.

This was the father of all reploids, after all. A model so old, yet so advanced... no one knew how he functioned, and only by an incomplete understanding, they had managed to, somehow or other, stuff souls in machines... and called those.

And no, he had worked on plenty of reploids to know that those were not cyborgs. There was absolutely no organic matter there, just chip and what amounted to something as close to a portable quantum computer as one could get.

And yet... it still boggled Old Al's mind as to how a soul could've been fated to have a computer for a body.

' _Oh well... le ciel est bleu, L'eau est moulier, les Canadien so pourite pis l' Karma et pos comprenable!'_

Moving on...

Calculating that the two love birds...if Zero's lips imprint was any indication, had enough time for themselves, the old man entered his workshop, a technical wonder... a gift from a very old friend. There, he took some sadistic pleasure at seeing the armorless Zero holding the body of his boyfriend on his laps, staring at him like this one raccoon that Al had found in his woodshed once.

Good time.

"...Ah..."

"It's alright, knowing you, you probably dealt with X with vellum glove. And there nothing wrong with a couple having some sweet snuggles." Al smirked as he came closer to X and Zero. Noting how X's hair looked... rather good, considering how terrible the rest of his body was.

Either that Or the ten years he had passed under that tree was a time when the weather was quite clement... _'Wait until you open sleeping beauty up, he may carry a few surprises.'_ Like roaches...

"Now...put him on the table again; I need to check what's going on with his internals... X?" he addressed the Reploid, knowing that he was still very much aware of what was going on in his body.

"Yes... Ah... Mister."

"You may call me Al... or just uncle will do. My guts tell me that you have some feelings in your body." If there was something Albert knew, God had a way to talk to people indirectly. Some would call it Guts feeling; others would say it was instinct...Al knew better.

"Yes...Mister Al. I do, but...it's very faint." A look of wonder drew itself on X's face. "It's amazing; I'm not in this body, but... I can still feel."

Al grunted. "Yes...I see. Please warn me if you feel any pain. Even a slight one." He went to his desk to grab his diagnosis tool and whatever was needed to check if the body was really as _broken_ as they thought.

Well... his gutsy friend told him no... and Al agreed.

"Zero, you may either stay in the garage...actually, do stay in the Garage, my men, you were on television not too long ago, and I would rather you stay hidden here until everything dies down or we find a way to make you look not like you." He mentioned to the fretting right-hand man of Sigma.

Really... it was adorable to see the red ripper acting like a spouse whose second half was...

Al mentally shook his head and continued his visual inspection.

One thing was for sure though, X needed a new face since the synth skin was so degraded, even Zero's tender care had caused it to fall apart. It was completely sun backed... Thankfully, since X was the basis of all reploids, any mould would work with minimal adjustment.

His left arm had to be reattached, and Al suspected that the right one had been disabled.

Shockingly enough, X's hair were more or less intact, his helmet having played its job admirably. There was only one patch of a sun-bleached spot on his head. And that was it. Is eyes were off-lined, and Al hoped he could find a suitable replacement...short of making a new pair from scratch.

It would take more time... meaning more time with X and Zero.

The chest armours and blue... Bodysuit like skin were also sun backed; X's back had retained its original colour while the rest had turned a dusty blue.

Shockingly enough, his head gem had taken an almost pink hue...but after close inspection, he realized that it was only due to X not having any energy.

...or... He was sleeping, which could also be a possibility at this point.

His lower body was choked with roots, and Al would readily put his hands in the furnace that the inside was also filled with dirt, more roots, an anthill and quite a few dead worms if his old nose was still smelling things right.

"Ben ma parole... ye po mal magane... Mais j'ai vu pire." He informed Zero, who was staring at him blankly.

Right... "X, I'm about to open your body. It's better if you close your eyes, my friend. And warn me if you feel anything."

"Alright," he heard from the...disembodied Reploid, who had been physically turned away from the potentially gruesome sight by his lover.

Zero's body was tense; he caught Weil's eyes, there was a dangerous glint in them.

The reploid specialist chuckled warmly at the sight. "Pain will happen Zero, just keep him calm, and everything with be fine. If it's too much to bear, then I will simply turn whatever sensor still working of...who does it sound?"

"Acceptable." Zero clipped tones were enough to make Al move a bit faster than intended. Really, the poor boy would be the one feeling each and every misfire.

"Alright,..and don't tell X Anything, it may muddle up the tests...and upset him."

AL removed X's armour; first was his arms, then his feet and finally his chest.

And as he had suspected, it was filled with the debris of various types. Mostly dirt and rotting plant matter.

Then he moved to his chest.

There was definitely less dirt, just plenty of vine pieces and the remain of a very small and very moth-eaten beehive behind the chest piece.

It would take some time to clean the disgusting mess...time Al had a' plenty.

Then he came at the undersuit.

Al raised a brow... why would a reploid wear an under-suit?

As he began peeling the layer of armoured fabric off... flesh-coloured skin met his glance.

It was less discoloured than his face, but the humid air and ten years' worth of rain and other natural elements had turned it as brittle as an old wax paste. Some also had the misfortune of sticking inside the specialized bodysuit.

Never in his life had Al seen something so disgusting. Working on X now felt more like an autopsy than anything else.

"X... do you feel something?" Al ask.

"hmm... I feel lighter, but... Should I feel something?"

Wordlessly, Al took a screwdriver and mildly began to probe X in Various locations. Lightly at first... and with more force until the fake skin pierced and falling to pieces. Meaning... not enough to pierce the soft skin of a baby. And at this point, the old man knew there was nothing he could do for it; it was only good enough for the incinerator.

When he looked up... it was clear Zero was feeling more pain than his lover, and Al just wished he could take a picture of his face.

"X...How do you feel?" He addressed the disembodied reploid.

"I feel fine, but..."

"But?"

"But I... I don't know... I guess... yeah, my belly-port...I can feel a tickle."

Al turned his eyes back at where his flat head screwdriver was standing upright in X's belly. Some satisfied oil, a bit of rust and plenty of corrosion was holding the implement in place.

Oh, and plenty of shredded, rotten synth-skin.

He touche the handle...and he heard Zero hiss.

He chuckled. "Zero... If this is how you feel when X can't... then what will happen when he goes through birthing pain."

As an answer, Zero gaped, and Al could not help but hold back his uproarious laughter at sight. Never the less, he knew more or less what was going on with X...

He grabbed his flat head and began to wiggle it around X's U-port. And after a very minimal amount of force, X's limbs were unlatched from his main frame, and his chest cavity was unlocked and ready for perusal.

He heard a strangled noise... and sure enough, Zero looked as if he was about to blow quite a few fuses.

" A calice... Mais t'es vraiment mourant... " He turned to Zero. "I have to unlatch his limbs. Otherwise, I can't clean him up properly... and if you can't handle that... there's the door, take a patio chair and _wait outside."_ _Hidden_ , of course.

"But-" Zero began to protest.

"No, but... you look like you were about to have a heart attack," Al stated as he approached the jittery reploid.

A look of sheer determination fueled by a bruised Ego locked Zero into place. " No... I'm staying here..."

"Alright... have it you're way." Al shrugged as he went back to inspect X's innards. Or the half rusted RF shield that prevented him from having access to the all-important core and whatever made the father of all reploids move and interact with the world of matter.

Reploids were built in such a way that they could survive being left in the element for some time. And even modern-day technology was not as fragile as the rest of the population were led to think... just expansive to fix.

But still, ten years left in the element was ten years left at the mercy of mother nature. And Al would no be ashamed to say that he had no idea how X even managed to...

No, He must've been modded in such a way that he could remotely control the Tablet... in essence, this Lumine had turned an un-powered, practically dead reploid as a server.

Really, when all was said and done, and the reploid liberation war was over. If this Lumine survived, Al would love to have a chat with the reploid over some Timmies'. He had heard that they now carried food to cater to the budding reploid population...

All refugees, for The prime Minister never even let the possibility to have any type of reploid making facility of the territory.

"Alright, X... how do you feel now?" He asked the 'Disembodied' reploid as he began to remove whatever dead vegetation happened to call the blue bomber's chest cavity home. And a mouse nest.

_Great, they managed to chew through him... another hole to patch.'_

As he located the numerous tabs that kept the shield in place, Al could not help to note how... X had no cooling system to speak of, it was a completely closed system, and nothing indicated that he had any vents.

"I... I can definitely feel something now... it's not painful, but... It's not that great either." he admitted. Causing Zero's face to twist in pain. "I... I think..."

"X?" The mostly red reploid asked his beloved. Clearly concerned for his well being.

"I... I can feel you, but... It's like..." he tried to explain. " It's getting more painful, like some type of pain killer's wearing off..."

Al frowned, emulating Zero. "I see... Then if that's the case, I have a piece of good news, and a piece of bad news...and a piece of even better news." He informed the couple as he began to look around for tools and this one pain pain-killing cartridge.

he turned to Zero. "Good news is, X is not disembodied. He's still in his not so broken body and can indeed be repaired."

"Alright... those are some pretty good news," Zero admitted, and he tried to keep his smile down. "But... what's the not so good news?"

"Well, obliviously, his anesthetic is fading off, and he will soon feel each and every bit of damage he sustained. So I will have to... not quite turn him off, but you won't be able to talk to him for a while...because I'll start fixing your beau as soon as possible," He informed the red ripper as he walked toward his hulking monstrosity of a computer. Booting it up and plugin it in X's medical output.

And he stared at the reading... despite everything... he was still working. But... his terminal could not boot completely, since it was oblivious quite a few of his motherboards were corroded, and Al was sure X had plenty of popped cap and corroded pins.

He just hoped he could fix the poor boy; he had heard and read so many papers about him, his Hardware was still a mystery for most.

Speaking of which, Al quickly and deftly removed X's beefed-up RF shield, taking note of how his core was still spotless and...

" Ostie d' calice! Mais de quoi c'est bain sa?" He wonders aloud as he began to poke at the...crystallized pink... acrylic? Plastique? Silica?

He heard a noise from the tablet... it was clear the pain was getting worst... and it was clear Zero was getting agitated. " Yes, I know, I know Zero, I'm doing my best but... I can't make head or tail of what I'm seeing!" He admitted as a sense of panic slowly crept up his spine.

Usually, reploids were built like your average computer; they had their water lines, their radiator, their power supply, a few core, chips, medical inputs and the like but X...

All of his internals were... it resembled dried out jello salad with assorted electronics bit, Orbis and whatever else his creator thought was cool and fun too but in what could only be the 'one paper-only-jelly board.

In other words, He couldn't make the head or tail of the first reploid in front of him...the Agonizing father of all reploids was build in such a way that not even eons worth of experience could have prepared old all for this. He could not even find a port of anything he could recognize ton the ancient build.

"Al! He's getting worst." Zero sounded on the verge of a panic attack As X's moans of pain escaped his control. "X... X, please stay with me, were doing the best we can, just hang in there!"

For his part, Albert kept muttering curses and prayers as he tried to make sense of this mess...he hated the sound of pain, and X's moans of agony pierced his old mechanized heart.

He raised his head... this came from the body...

It sounded like this old dying doorbell his nieces seemed to find hilarious.

He barely had time to react when Zero all but lunged at the agonizing X, sending the tablet clattering to the floor as he gathered his beloved in his arms. Carelessly pushing the disconnected limbs to the ground, "X...X... I'm Here I'm..."

Albert scramble to his feet with an unhappy grumble, he had a reploid tranq-gun somewhere, and he knew he would need to use it to get the overly sensitive golden retriever weighing... as much as Zero would weigh with his full armours on, off from X...

And maybe for X also, since it was clear the anesthetic cartridge would not work with him.

And then... he realized with a start how quiet Zero was all of a sudden, looking up, Al saw that the Red reploid froze, his eyes going blank.

Al stared as he tried to make sense of what had just happened... this, not even among the most advanced reploids, had ever happened before.

He gingerly got up... and walked around the couple as he desperately tried to make sense of what he was seeing...

Zero was deathly still...and X's damaged voice box was curiously silent. Even breathing seemed to intrude on the moment.

The Old computer and reploid expert closed his eyes and began to recite his rosary... with how Crazy things were getting; he needed a higher power even to survive the madness.

He was about to reach for his diagnosis computer when Zero suddenly spoke.

"Water... He needs water..." He spoke without any inflection in his tone.

And after that... he was back as being as mute as a carp.

Al raised his eyes to the heavens beyond. "Your making fun of me, aren't you?"

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> In most FIction, people tend to forget that X was still above and beyond was science could make. his Jelly board is why.
> 
> Also, in Mega Man X, it's revealed that quite a few reploids, including Alia and Gate, were active when X was still in his coma, and I don't know about you, but this feels a bit... rapey.
> 
> And their thing were Al unscrewed X's limbs with his screwdriver... my Grandad would do that to me and my little sister when we were quite young. our buts did not fall... but that was the inspiration.
> 
> Also, Ascend ever higher grandpa Cappy.
> 
> I hope you like it, and don;t mind the godly inclusion, I will keep it to a minimum.


	4. Chapter 4

" _X... I can't believe you're still in your body."_ Zero conveyed to his broken boyfriend. _"Are you alright? What the hell happen and... how come I can speak to you like this? It's not like... I'm not using my Com. Frequencies!"_

To be very honest, Zero was beyond scared at the moment. He had no idea what caused him to move, and he had no idea how... how his systems recognized X as a part of him.

He did nothing to do that... and as much as he tried to make sense of what was happening...

' _Well, If it's with X, then mundane Logic has no reason to be there.'_

" _...Me too...I guess..." X_ managed to convey. _'It's still painful, but... it's not as bad when you're Holding me, Zee."_

Zero chests filled with pride. _'Forget about_ _destructing_ _notorious maverick... making X_ _happy_ _my reason to live now!'_ He never considered himself a Hero... but now?

Well... He was X's hero.

" _... Guess Lumine lied to us..."_ X spoke dejectedly, breaking Zero out of his happy state.

Zero raised a brow. _"You guess? I thought we had already established he was a liar."_ Zero flatly informed his agonizing lover. Readjusting his grip. Now without limbs and armour, it was even easier to cradle him...

He couldn't wait for him to be fixed... for it still felt as if he was holding something... not alive.

' _Yeah... I know, but... Why would he lie like that? I mean, wouldn't it be more profitable for Sigma to have both of us and... not just you?"_

"What do you mean?" Zero asked from outside the connection he shared with X, which had happened quite naturally and spontaneously.

He knew they had something beyond the mundane realm. From the miraculous shared dreams to just knowing how X's system work... It didn't have to be logical for Zero anymore.

It was X... and that was good enough.

" _Zee... Just imagine if Lumine would've fixed me... what would have happened once the war broke out?"_

" _Well... I would see you opposing Sigma with all you had... and I would be right behind you."_ Zero assured his beloved with a soft smile.

He had no idea if X could see through his dull lenses, but Zero could still dream.

" _Yeah... maybe it wasn't left to rot under a tree for a decade... I think a few humans pass by; I could hear trucks and see smoke fire sometime... anyway, There's also a good chance Sigma would've reprogrammed me."_

" _Please don't say that... there's no way that would work."_

" _Zee... don't say it can't."_

"X, that's what you're OS says." Zero paused, realizing that... maybe it was not the best of time to bring up the fact that he was perusing X's internal blueprints and specifications.

His frame was even more amazing from this angle, and it also gave Zero a huge clue as to why this most amazing piece of technology, the father of all reploids, had remained as good as dead under a tree.

He worked with water; he was a water-gel-based system...not a gem-based one. Meaning he could record and treat an absolutely catastrophic amount of Data better than the best of the navigator. And he was also Virus and temper proof! And his Hardware was free of heat limitation. Thus his frame was much smaller than most.

But he lacked the anti-piracy measure most reploids had.

Nevertheless, there had been a drought in the area over a decade ago. If X and... whoever had been with him on this military-grade secret mission had been there...

The bastard had shocked X's system and had managed to turn off his motion algorithm, cursing Zero beloveds to a slow and agonizing shut down as he backed under the sun... when the sun happened to shine on him, that is.

And while it rained in the area... The only impute X's mouth. A tree had sheltered him...

Maybe Zero should return to X's old location and take a hobby...like lumber-jacking.

Well, that's what Zero figured out... Signas and his two investigators/Layer's friends would probably be able to piece X's fatal fight better than the war model.

Still... he was now in X's system...

It was... intimate, to say the least.

"Ah... S... Sorry, X... I... I don't know what happened I-"

" _It's alright... You were panicking and... I know you won't pirate me. And I trust you, Zero."_

" _... I would rather die than do that to you..."_ Zero practically breathed out. " _But yeah, you're pretty much everything proof... Software-wise."_ He added wryly. " I can't believe your creator gave you a jelly board... it's not even... it goes against _everything_ we know about robotic and computer science!"

" _Yeah... but... It still doesn't explain why Lumine... no wait, Lag-frame. I know why he didn't fix me."_

" _Alright, I'm listening."_

" _Lumine... He wanted you out of Abel city, and I was the best pretext you had. Think about it, Zero, You are a powerful reploid, the most... your the best in fighting; it's like your been built only for war and nothing else!"_

" _Then it would've been better for Sigma to keep me in then... He lacks his best man in a war against humanity, a tool that has been made with mass eradication in mind."_ Zero wryly informed his lover. _"Let's face it, X. We have no idea what's going on..."_

" _But what if... What if I would tell you to stop Sigma? Would you do it?"_

" _Yes."_ He didn't even need to think about it...

But then. He also knew that Sigma must have a good reason why he decided to perform his coup.

Reploid mistreatment and the overall poor treatment of whatever was not white, human and rich.

In his arms, X sighed... or, the sound of X sighing was heard through Zero's internal system. _"_ _You know what... I know this will go against everything this damn_ _capsule_ _force-fed me for the last hundred years or so and just let Sigma and those humans deal with their own problem. I'm not a fighter; I always hated violence and..."_ He sighed again.

"X?"

" _Sorry, Zee I... I guess I'm just... I'm just trying to figure out what I should do... I say I want to stay out of the conflict but at the same time..."_

" _And what are you supposed to do? You can't move, you can't fight...and no, I'm not going to leave you in Albert's hand all alone. And I'm still following Sigma's order."_ The red ripper informed his lover. "I'm keeping you out of America and out of this war...And once you're fixed... we'll see what we'll do then. Is that clear?"

' _...Yes, Zero... I... I think just staying out of it... may be better in the long run; besides, what am I supposed to do against Sigma? Shoot him with my weak buster?'_ X scoffed; clearly, it was a sore subject for him. _"But... what will happen when the war spills over and... what will happen when this wholesale violence comes here? And what if- what about all those innocents? Those who got killed just because they were just in the way?'_

" _That's the nature of Wars X... and I've never heard of a si_ _n_ _gle warrior that managed to stop a war by himself."_ Zero sadly informed his lover. "Don't worry, X, I may be following Sigma's order... but only as far as your safety and well-being will allow it. And if the war crosses the border, or a popped-cap idiot decided he wants to be edgy and start killing humans... then he'll discover why I'm called the red ripper." He brought his boyfriend closer to his core; he could feel him... He could feel that X was still in, and yet... his body was not functioning.

' _Huh... not really logical, but... maybe there's more to it than just the frame then.'_ Zero thought. True, X was adorable... despite his decrepit appearance. But... if this would be anyone other than X... as in if the body was functioning but didn't have... if this one navigator in, Zero would not find it very attractive. Hell, the only reason why he had kept the so-called deadweight for so long was only that it held numerous secrets and could be used to further political agendas.

Zero sighed... No, The frame was still valuable. It was still operational... once he could get some water in, that is. But what was more important than it tough was X himself... the person inside the powerful frame.

Then, he heard X laughed self-deprecatingly. "X?"

" _You know... despite having my OS pirated and... everything else... I still care about them... I... It's so weird Zero, on one side, I want nothing to do with them, but on the other, I can't stand hearing about their suffering. I want to stay away from this conflict, but..."_ He began to babble; it was clear he was upset.

"X... I... I also have no idea what to do. But for now, let's fix you up and..." Zero raised his head; there were three bikes. An adult rode one.

Al, Ciel and Fleure returned from the pharmacy; they needed demineralized water and many other things, apparently. And sure enough, after plenty of grunts and cursing, the old man and his cone-hat entered the workshop followed by the twins.

"Alright... on a L'eau... We have the water." he huffed as he dragged the glass container. "Tabarnak, y'on pas pu fair un contenent plus leger, calise?"

"Ah..." Zero watched the small family struggle to bring the life-giving liquid.

" _Zee... go and help him."_

" _But-!"_

" _Zero, he's an old man, and his two nieces are also struggling. Please, Zero... do it for me?"_

Zero looked at the struggling Albert, huffing and puffing as he dragged in the reusable containers. Then back at his boyfriend who, not even an hour, thirty minutes and five seconds Ago, was 'screaming' in unexplained agony.

No, Zero had no idea _why_ X was in pain at this exact moment, he had been holding him some time prior, and it was only when AL had been messing with him that the pain started.

...

And yet, from X's... Well, Zero's self-diagnosis that had somehow taken hold of X's impotent system... seeing it as a part of the red ripper; It didn't come from the layer of dead human-like skin... it came from inside. And it had no discernible source.

Oh... And his love was severely dehydrated... Filled with foreign matter and suffering from quite a few shorts, damage to his head (not as bad as it sounded.) and desperately needed a recharge and plenty other vital things a reploid required.

" _Zee!"_

"Alright, Alright, I'm-" But as he was about to lay his lover down on the workbench, Al spoke up.

"Don't you dare leave X on that bench, boy!" He warned. "The only thing stopping him from getting worst is you..." He huffed a bit. " I think you should bring him to the bottle, Can't lug this thing anymore... and I don't want to hear this hellish scream _ever again..._ Am I clear?"

"Yes, sir!" Zero reflectively gave a salute.

He could not help it... this man sounded as if he had straightened a few platoon's worths of cadets.

He carefully lifted X from the worktable and made his way to the jug of pure water... it was a ten-gallon, more than enough to bring X's body back to more or less work-ability. Meanwhile, Al was gathering his tools and plenty of rags, towel compressed air and Isopropyl Alcohol.

"Doc... Do you need me to put him on-"

"No... that won't be necessary, Zero. Just make sure you're not blocking his opening, and everything _should_ be fine." Albert informed the fussing red ripper. "But... It would be nice if you could help me turn him over, the fastest way to get all that crap outta him." Al told his new helper as he laid a white cloth down on the ground. "Now, get on there and get to work."

"Yes, Sir," Zero complied as he stood over the tightly weaved cotton sheet. And, after gently readjusting his grip so that nothing but useless debris and not the... dried up motherboard would fall out, gently began to shake X. Careful not to hurt him.

But by the laughter he shared over his connection with the blue bomber, it was clear his lover didn't mind... at all.

"X?" Zero asked with a quirk of his mouth.

" _Just imagine if Cain were to walk in..."_

" _Your old dad?"_

" _Yup... what would he think if he were to see me like this?"_

" _He would have a heart attack."_ Zero replied with a grin.

"..."

"No... wait... I'm sorry." _Doctor_ Kenneth Cain had died from such ailment, and Zero had accidentally reminded his beloved about such fact. _'Ok, Zero... readjust...'_

"I mean... How would you react if you were to see his being shaken by me?" _"The guy who went maverick upon waking up?'_

" _Zee... that's not funny.'_ X informed his lover.

' _Damn it...'_ Zero internally grumbled at his failure. He was too much of a realist to make a joke.

" _Thank you...'_

"Why?" Zero asked as he gently shook X's frame. "I failed... I'm terrible at making jokes."

" _You still tried..."_ Waves of affection seemed to emanate from X, flooding Zero's heart with this warm, fuzzy feeling he had associated with X and love.

Once Zero was satisfied that nothing else would fall out from his body... that was not original, he knelled a bit away from the pile of Debris, Using his lap as X's pillow.

" _How do you feel?"_ He asked his beloved. He knew he was built like a machine with no soft spots at all.

" _It feels... great. Like... I never had any better pillows in my life."_ X conveyed with clear satisfaction.

"A _nd how many pillows did you have in your life?"_ Zero asked, Curious to know how many competitors he had.

" _Four, and you're my favourite."_

" _From the most dangerous war machine to a pillow. X, what have you done to me?"_

" _I don't know, Zero... I guess loving you as a person may have cured you of whatever Maverick tendency you have, love."_

X could have continued his banter, but Al knelled beside him and began to inspect the pile of debris. "Well... despite everything, this jelly board's did its job, nothing needed fell out, and everything's still in." He declared. "Yes... I think we may start with the rehydration." He got up from the floor, his knee's popping from old age. "Really, whoever made him was an even madder genius than doctor Wily, that's for sure!"

Zero raised his head... The name... it struck a chord.

He installed a pump at the top of the water jug and filled a plant mister, the type that were made of metal and glass.

"Here, try to spray in on his motherboard; it should start to rehydrate-" But Zero didn't have the head to listen to the rest.

He readjusted x in his arms, inserted the nozzle in his lovers' fragile mouth and began to work the tiny pump. Careful not to overwhelm his parched system.

In front of his, Al began to mist his inside gently.

They worked in complete silence as they restored X's jelly board.

"I think we should add some nanites to his water," Al spoke up.

"Do you have the type of nanites he needs?" Zero answered back, still carefully feeding his lover the water her so desperately needed.

There was a pause...

"Maybe... We'll need to see if his own culture won't get revived with the water."

Zero grunted as he fed his boyfriend, looking for any sign of recovery, improvement... or otherwise.

So far... there was nothing saved for X getting wet-er.

" _X... How do you feel?"_ Zero asked using this bond they apparently had.

But no answer came.

' _Oh no...'_ "X? X... do you hear me? X"

Still nothing... There was no answer, nothing... not even a sigh.

"Zero?" Al broke through the quietly panicking reploid.

Zero stared at X, his eyes wild... "he's not answering... He's..."

"Calm down, son. What do you mean by-"

"He was talking to me... his... His system's... my self-repair recognize X as an extension of my frame and... and I could talk to him..." he felt his vent working overtime as he tried to cool down his CPU and whatever generated his emotions. "He's not speaking..."

No, it was not from his onboard battle computer... his battle computer was calculating the treat Albert, and his two nieces paused and coming with... respectable until Zero got his sabre out.

And maybe he should...

Maybe he should...

He had promised.

He felt a sharp impact at the back of his head; the cause was a wrench thrown with deadly accuracy by one Ciel... or was it Fleure?

Al then grabbed him by the shoulder, roughly shaking him as he gestured his two nieces to vacate the premise now. "Zero, Zero, Listen to me... You need to calm down. X is unconscious, but I can still fix him." He assured as he fearlessly held Zero's gaze. "But you need to keep your cool. Otherwise, a dead Albert won't be of much use to you."

Zero gritted his teeth and closed his eyes...

He would give the reploid expert a chance...

"Alright..." he sighed. "I would ask you to get out and cool off in a pond, but with how Aggressive you got, I'd rather you stay in my workshop."

Zero lowered his eyes... meeting with the sad image of his lover's heavily damaged frame.

"Zero... when was the last time his body got some juice in?" Albert asked.

"Uh?"

"Energen... when was the last time he got some energy?"

Zero blinked a few times as he reviewed all that happened to X since his discovery. And realized that the only possible time he could have received a charge was with Lumine... and this was...

"Maybe one week ago, but definitely ten years from now," he informed the reploid specialist, who gave a grin.

"ey! Est Voila l'problem." He once again got up, his knee's popping. " I'll bet the charging cable, you just keep spraying his Jelly-board... and please don't feed him any more water; the gel's expansion may crack and break something we need." He informed the red ripper. Who began to do as such.

Some time passed after Zero's outburst... and the Red Ripper began to regret his action.

He had almost turned into what X dreaded, a maverick... and over what?

A misunderstanding... Al didn't even touched X, let alone do anything that could've turned him off!

Not only that, but in his state of irrational panic, Zero forgot to check his self-repair... if he had, he would have realized that X was in desperate need of a charge.

He huffed as he looked at the fearless old man; he had faced the aggrieved Red Ripper as if he was just another client, just another reploid.

He cleared his throat... he wanted to apologize but... years in the fields and being hailed as _the_ S-Rank meant that it was more difficult than necessary. "Say... could you grab his tablet?" He... managed to say.

It was the furthest thing to an apology, But Zero hope the amount of sheepishness he infused in his words would be able to convey how he felt about the whole thing.

"No... not before you say please."

" Please..." Zero added as humbly as he could.

Really, this man was the only hope he and X had. And Zero had almost blown it out of anger. _'I need to work on that. X won't like it if I fly off the handle every time something happens to him.'_ No, he needed to learn how to control it, so that the Red Ripper could enact his revenge when his beloved wasn't looking.

Al's face softened as he went to grab the discarded electronic and a reploid power-cord. "I hope X is compatible, Pete's still busy with his new baby, and Dodo's store is still closed," he spoke more to himself than Zero. He handed the tablet to the reploid as he connected the rather fat cable to the specialized wall outlet.

Zero opened the rugged electronic, expecting to see his beloved looking at him with a peculiar expression on his lovely face. Maybe even some reproachful hard gaze coming from his jade-coloured eyes.

Instead... he met with the most terrifying sight in all of existence.

_Connection lost_

_retry Y/N_

He felt fear grabbed at his throat... but instead of letting his emotion rule his action, Zero gritted his teeth, took a few vents and then he gazed back at the disconnected tablet...

He felt some pain in his core and immediately ran a scan.

Nope, there was nothing... just an X-shaped hole.

With nothing better to do, Zero resumed his spraying in a deafening silence. Hoping that it was nothing and that he was just panicking for nothing because his lover was turned into nothing again.

His self-repair screen just kept showing X as an ad-on... but there was no more update on him.

It... It had been illogical in the first place, something that had never been documented in any reploid couple. 

Zero was really starting to tire of those illogical things happening around X. When would he be back at the illusion of normality he was used to?

Inside his unresponsive Lover's chest Cavity, the jelly board looked more like an actual, high-density jelly than a piece of polymer now, and Al had managed to by-pass X's super corroded connector and connected the charging cable directly to (what he hopped was) his power supply.

"Ok Sophie... commençanse a routine vingt-et-un pour reploid très endommager." He spoke to... someone. "Débute le Voltage a vingt pourcent et a croit le graduellement de point cinq ohm..."

At this point, Zero tried to switch to french, but not even his advanced hardware could decipher Al's heavy french Canadien accent.

Suddenly there was an unapologetically electronic voice that spoke.

She said that the unit (X) was pulling more power than he was supposed to, going as far as to hijack the output control.

Zero stilled... X was... he was...

A tentative smile drew itself on the red ripper's face... a smile that Al copied... and it looked quite goofy too.

The frenchy barked a few more orders to his A.I, once again completely incomprehensible to the red ripper. He turned to Zero. "Eh bein, mon chum. X's not quite gone yet... and he will need to remain plug for at least a full day before her can even start to communicate with us... in TXT. File."

Zero felt something in his heart... his entire being was shaking and... he... his vents were choking.

He hugged X closer; he could somehow feel the energy coursing through... the life of his first real love...

"X..." He choked out, his voice chip felt tight... and it kept glitching...it kept making those useless noises...

But he was not in pain... he was not... He was happy... too happy for his onboard computer to process... he felt his entire systems...

" Hee hee hee." The old man chuckled. " Calm down, my boy; I don't want you to crash on me." The reploid expert told the jubilant reploid as he patted his back.

"He's alive... X... X is..." He could feel the blue bomber's system warming up as more energy flowed through him... reminding the red ripper that he should probably keep misting X's internal.

As he did... Zero could not help but gaze at his lover's face... waiting for the time when his beautiful green eyes would flutter open.

* * *

"Zero... Maybe you should take some rest." Al spoke up approximately five hours later.

The red ripper had used up all of the decriminalized water as Al worked on stabilizing the hundred and ten-year-old hardware, switching between praising and cursing X's creator with a colourful array of language.

Oh, and he had also pulled out the remainder of a nest from his thighs and the remains of a dead wasp nest from his fuel-processing tank and plenty of spiders.

On an unrelated note, Zero now feared those natural-born critters more than system glitches.

Upon closer inspections, it had been revealed that whatever rust had been there was but layer deep, as if some specialized weapon had been used on X with very little success; the only thing that really had needed repairs were dry-rot and renewing his Nanites.

And fix his broken skull and a missing arm.

Zero had been more than willing to provide a starter for X since the way they had been programmed remained a mystery for all, and Zero's systems were already recognizing X as been a part of him.

It had worked; his nanites went to overdrive mode as they accessed and began repairing what Al could not. The first had been X's dead synth skin.

But instead of restoring it, they elected to discard it... leaving X's face and body bereft of skin...

Even like this, Zero could not help but find the father of all reploid beautiful in his barren stated. He could easily see the tool marks, slightly crooked angles of his jaws and the two emerald called eyes.

He had normal human teeth; they were even slightly crooked and somewhat bucktoothed and with a slight gap.

Doing a bit of reconstruction work, Zero could easily imagine how those two somewhat oversized teeth would look as he smiled, giving him this innocent appearance and a human sweetness not seen in the regular reploids.

He looked pleasantly organic... even more so than a regular human... it just worked with him.

Even his skinless skull looked less fake than any other reploids he knew.

"Zero!" Al managed to pierce through the Fog of Zero's overfilled cash.

"Huh?"

"I said, you need rest."

"Ah... yeah... How long was I?" He tried to make a sentence, but everything was slow and blurry; even his words came out in a slur.

"We've been working on X for almost twenty hours straight, my man. I'm... not used to working for so long." Al admitted. "And you... you gave X most of your nanite-rich oil... and I doubt you had a chance to rest properly." The older man knelled beside Zero, gently taking him by his bicep. "Now come; Ciel and Fleur prepared a guest room for you. They even got you some clothes."

Zero grunted... yes... a proper recharge sounded nice. He managed to find his feet, and with the help of Al, got to them despite still holding X.

"Ah... X needs to stay here, Zero. He's still naked and in need of more work." Al explained as he leads the surprisingly docile Zero back to the workbench.

"But... what... if... What if X woke up?" He managed to string a sentence together.

"Not a chance... not in his state," Al informed the lagging reploid. "How long did you let your software go without disk cleaning?" He asked as he coaxed Zero to lay X down on the padded surface.

Zero almost wince... the last time he had a proper recharge cycle had been weeks ago.

"Awaye scram... You need to rest." Al all but ordered. "Besides, I don't think there's more you can do, and X won't wake up anytime soon."

Zero stared forlornly at the old man... his vision blurry.

Al furrowed his brows and crossed his arms. "Zero, you are of no use to X right now. Go and take whatever rest and food you need. My niece got you quite a buffet of delicious new food to try."

Food... reploid food...

"Can't taste..." He informed the engineer. Maybe he really needs to rest his CPU... he could barely choose the words he wanted to say. And he would never do something that would take him away from his partner... not in the state he was in. "I'm... fine... X... need.."

Al's eyebrows reached under the rim of his ever-present cone hat. "Oh... You didn't get this update? Poor man." He grabbed Zero by the hand the dragged the docile maverick hunter to another workbench. "Please lay here while I grab my tools. It won't take long." He spoke quickly as he laid the mechanized blond down, plugging a cable in his medical port. "Alright... if you feel the need to go into sleep mode, don't fight it... when you wake up... you... Timmies."

Zero could not even fight it...


End file.
